The Voice Top 8 Results Recap: Did the Right Two Singers Get the Boot?

“Vodka. Anything fried. The Golden Girls.” Leave it to Blake Shelton (discussing his pre-performance rituals) to score the funniest zinger of The Voice‘s Season 3 Top 8 results show — no small accomplishment, considering select members of The Muppets gang dropped by to hang out with Cee Lo Green. (Let’s just be thankful Blake didn’t specifically mention pork rinds, or else the most charming member of the show’s panel might’ve been dispatched by a Miss Piggy karate chop!)

Alas, though, not even the comic stylings of cranky balcony dwellers Statler and Waldorf — who, come to think of it, ought to give courses on how to administer unfiltered criticism to reality-competition contestants — could leave a smile on one judge’s face. Under the show’s new Season 3 rules, the two lowest vote-getters go home every week — regardless of which team they’re on — meaning no mentor is guaranteed to have a contestant in the finale. And that theory was enforced tonight.

Whoa! Trevin really escaped the guillotine this week, despite sharpening the blade and then pressing his neck against it with back-to-back stinkers on “Scream” and “The Greatest Love of All.” Terry, too, must be happy to have dodged a bullet, seeing how he’s been slowly retreating from early front-runner status. Cody and Dez, meanwhile, may have been victims of a classic vote split: The guys with the most immaculately styled hair, obvious sex appeal, and crooner-ly leanings were probably appealing to the same fan bloc (although neither one was exactly looking like the successor to that guy from last season Jermaine Paul).

The question now is, can Trevin or Terry break up what looks to be a tough-to-upend final four of Cassadee, Amanda, Melanie and Nicholas?

Before I turn things over to you, a few thoughts on the results-night performances:

* Trevin’s lack of stage presence became all the more evident while attempting Lady Gaga’s uptempo “Marry the Night” alongside dynamic (although slightly dance-impaired) Amanda Brown. I’m not sure the song really fit either of their voices, but you can’t say Amanda and Trevin haven’t got serious chops. (Okay, well you could say it, but you’d be lying!)

* Cee Lo’s “Boca Raton retired lady” sun hat was one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen that dude wear, and I haven’t even gotten to his green, mirrored tank top! Still, while you can never go wrong when you’re paired with Kermit the Frog and “Not Easy Being Green,” I was a little bummed that we only saw a few seconds of a Vegas performance pairing the wackiest Voice coach with the legendary “Mahna Mahna” duo. (Side note: Vicci Martinez, lookin’ fierce! Love her EP, too!)

* Cody, Melanie, Nicholas, and Terry gave quite possibly the best group performance all season on “Rhythm of Love.” Note to the show’s producers: See how beautifully things turn out when you allow your contestants to sit still and just sing, instead of forcing them into highly choreohraphed machinations to which they’d never otherwise gravitate?

* Somebody somewhere thought “I Hate That I Love You” would be a good fit for Cassadee and Dez. Or maybe it was just a bribe to score Rihanna as a future season finale guest? They did what they could with it, though.

Okay, your turn: What did you think of The Voice‘s Top 8 results show? Did the right two people get axed? Hit the comments with your thoughts!

p.s. No new Reality Check this week, thanks to last week’s Thanksgiving holiday. But we’ll be back with a new video next Monday, scout’s honor!

I like Terry and Nicholas, but wouldn’t mind or be shocked if Cassadee won. Side note I would like to hear Nicholas sing The Black Crow’s song Remedy. If Melanie somehow wins, I’ll never watch again. She is a one trick pony that sings every song like she is ready to commit suicide. I can’t stand her whole depressing persona or how she drags songs down to that level every time. Who in their right mind, who is not a self mutilator, would by an entire album of that crap?

Lets, see, I’m fairly certain I’m in my right mind (though I would say that even if I weren’t wouldn’t I?) and I’m definitely not a self mutilator and I would buy an entire album by Melanie. So I guess there’s at least one of us running around. ;-)

Cody – the one true “performer” of the season – great voice (yes, Michael, he is great, don’t understand your dislike), great stage presence, charisma, genuine personality – is gone. Terry is my last hope.

I’m glad Teryy is safe, but I’m mad Dez left!! I thought he was really coming into his own, and I would buy his music over Trevin or Melanie any day. He was probably in my Top 4. Feeling Good was a great moment for him!

Fastforwarded to make sure Nicholas and Melanie were safe, and all was right with the world. Made a detour for Kermit and Cee Lo. I guess I’ll go back and check out the Nicholas Melanie Terry Cody group number since it was apparently not overproduced ill fitting tripe. Anyway, good, I can watch again next week, because I think I’m done with the X factor and its a few months to AI.

as long as amanda’s safe, i’m happy… my mom’s so cute, she thinks there’s something going on between her and adam. she’s all, “their eyes twinkle when they look at each other!” not sure i agree that that’s what’s going on but i won’t deny that they’d make a pretty couple.